


Ice Cream for Three

by darkangel86



Series: Alex Manes Appreciation Week 2019 [2]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex Manes Week 2019, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 15:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18720073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkangel86/pseuds/darkangel86
Summary: Alex loved his job. He enjoyed getting up in the mornings, even if it was at 5am and he loved making the five block walk from his apartment to the school where he spent more time than was strictly necessary if you asked any of his friends but Alex didn't care because he liked his job.





	Ice Cream for Three

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2: Alternate Universe

Alex loved his job. He enjoyed getting up in the mornings, even if it was at 5am and he loved making the five block walk from his apartment to the school where he spent more time than was strictly necessary if you asked any of his friends but Alex didn't care because he liked his job. 

No. Alex _loved_ his job. Which, he supposed, was a good thing considering he taught a classroom full of twenty six year olds five days a week. That seemed like a rather important part of the job. Loving it, because after teaching kindergarten for the last three years, Alex had met plenty of teachers who downright hated their jobs. Some disliked the children, some hated the parents. Sure, it wasn't always easy but Alex took pride in his job. His kids were happy, which meant their parents were happy and that made the job that much more enjoyable.

And Alex had a great relationship with all of his kids parents. It was a dream. So of course that was exactly when a problem would have to show itself. In the form of a forgotten child. In his three years of teaching, Alex had never had a parent forget their child. He supposed these things happened, work ran late, traffic was backed up. Emergencies popped up at the last minute. But didn't they warrant a phone call? Alex sighed as he continued to sit beside the little girl on the front steps of the school. She seemed okay, not worried and for that Alex was grateful.

“Rosa, are you sure everything's okay at home?” Alex asked, and maybe he was overstepping a boundary but Alex was worried.

“Uh huh, Mr. Manes! Mama has a big project at work comin' up so I'm sure she's just busy and she said if she ever got too busy and daddy couldn't get away, cause he's a deputy and his job is super important, ya know, that my uncle-” Rosa rambled and Alex was enthralled by this small, even for her age, bright eyed little girl.

“Rosa!” A new voice called out, interrupting her story and Rosa turned, a smile instantly forming on her face and Alex turned to see just who she was looking at and, okay, wow. Now was not the time for inappropriate thoughts, Alex, even if it looked like the man running towards them had somehow stepped right out of his dreams.

“Uncle Mikey!” Rosa yelled as she jumped from the step and threw herself into the strangers arms and whoa, okay. Alex really needed to check that this person was allowed to leave with this child because this was not Max Evans. And did she say uncle?

“Christ, kid, I am so sorry! Your dad got stuck dealing with a bad accident and Liz couldn't get away from work so they called me but I was all the way across town when I got the call and I'm sorry it took me so long to get here!” The apparent cowboy said, and Alex swallowed hard because who even dressed like that anymore? From the black boots, to the dusty black jeans, white t-shirt and dark jean jacket? Topped off with a black cowboy hat. Alex felt his cheeks flush and no, no, stop it, bad Alex.

“Um, I'm sorry, who are you?” Alex asked, adjusting the glasses on his face and prayed his cheeks weren't as red as he knew they were.

“Oh! Sorry, I'm Michael. Uh, Guerin. Rosa's uncle, well technically I'm her godfather but we go with uncle since it makes more sense to her.” The man in front of Alex explained and oh god, was he blushing now? Alex was doomed. He shifted from one foot to the other as he readjusted the bag across his shoulder.

“Guerin! Right, okay. I remember seeing your name on Rosa's papers. I was afraid I was going to need to check if you were listed as someone she was allowed to leave with but I recognize your name,” Alex nervously laughed and inwardly groaned because what? Stop it. “I just mean, Guerin is a unique name, so it stuck out to me when I read Rosa's papers at the beginning of the year.”

“Its, no, yeah. It is,” Michael stammered, shifting Rosa from one arm to the other, the little girl giggling in his arms. “Uh, but thank you, for sitting and waiting with her. I really am so sorry I'm late. I work across town and between traffic and the late call from Max it took forever to get here.” He winced as he looked down, embarrassed.

“Its no problem, really,” Alex said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Rosa is a very well behaved little girl.” He smiled at her, happy when she beamed right back at him.

“Um, so this is probably way out of line but I'm gonna take the little munchkin for ice cream while we wait for her dad to finish up at work. Can I uh, buy you something as well? As, as a thank you?” Michael stuttered over his offer and Alex's eye grew wide behind his glasses. Was this gorgeous cowboy asking him out? Did he seriously have luck that good?

“I uh. Are you... are you asking me out or just being friendly?” Alex asked bluntly, having misinterpreted this sort of situation one too many times in his life to make that same mistake again, with this seemingly perfect man.

“Depends which you'd prefer, I suppose,” Michael said with a smirk and suddenly Alex was seventeen again because his knees went a little weak and seriously, what? This was not how his day was supposed to go? But thank you Max Evans for being late.

“Definitely date,” Alex rushed to say, this time knowing he was blushing as he ducked his head. “Sorry, that was, its uh, been a while since anyone has asked me out. I think I might be a little out of practice.”

“So, how about starting now then?” Michael asked, a breathtaking smile on his face and Alex was gone.

“Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that,” Alex said, bashful smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Mr. Manes is gonna come have ice cream with us?” Rosa asked, eyes wide as she looked from her uncle to her teacher and Alex couldn't help but grin.

“If that's okay with you,” Alex said, laughing when Rosa seemed to readily agree if the smile on her face was anything to go by.

“Yes, please! I think uncle Mikey would really like that. He don't ever dress so fancy no more,” Rosa giggled and Alex watched as Michael's face turned a bright shade of red.

“Oh? Is this fancy for your uncle, Rosa?” Alex asked, teasing tone in his voice that made the little girl giggle again.

“Uh huh! Uncle Mikey only wears his special hat when he really likes someone!” Rosa informed Alex with glee and Michael groaned, burying his face in Rosa's hair to hide the blush on his face.

“You little snitch!” Michael grumbled, digging his fingers into her sides and making her laugh.

“Uncle Mikey!” Rosa laughed, throwing her head back and laughing hysterically.

“You're not supposed to tell Mikey's secrets, little Rose,” Michael said and Alex was sure he melted right there, where he stood.

“But Mikey!” Rosa laughed and Alex smiled. These two were just too cute. “Mama said you only dress fancy when you like somebody so do you like Mr. Manes?” The little girl asked and Alex did his best to hide his own laugh behind his hand at the two.

“Why you-” Michael started as he set in to tickle the little girls sides, her laughter echoing around them. “That was a private conversation!”

Alex grinned. Well, this just took a turn.

“Have we met before?” Alex asked, curious because he'd like to believe that if he'd met this gorgeous man before, he'd have remembered him.

“Uh, no. Not exactly. But I, I've seen you around town and once I realized who you were and once Liz realized who I was pining over, her word not mine, well,” Michael admitted, nervously, and Alex beamed.

“Pining?” Alex chuckled, and he could feel the heat rising in his own cheeks.

“Have you seen you? With the glasses and the cute sweater vests, I mean, what's not to like?” Michael whispered, as he attempted to cover Rosa's ears. “Its not like I thought I stood a chance or anything but Liz said you were single and I said fuck it-”

“Swear jar!” Rosa exclaimed happily and Michael rolled his eyes.

“Kid, if you don't tell your mama, I'll double it,” Michael said and Rosa lit up.

“Promise!” The little girl in his arms swore and Alex laughed. These two really were too much.

“So uh, about that date?” Michael asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “If you aren't ready to run, which I wouldn't blame you for cause this is all kinda weird and sudden and I'm not exactly the best at this shit,” He groaned at the glee on Rosa's face at his slip up.

“Then you're in good company because I'm not either,” Alex smiled. “But I would still very much like that, to get ice cream with you, if you want. I uh, your 'fancy' look is rather nice,” He admitted and the smile it brought to the other man's face was breathtaking.

“Yeah?” Michael asked with a smirk and oh, there went Alex's knees again.

“I do like the cowboy look,” Alex admitted, with a shy grin.

“I'm rather fond of the teacher look myself,” Michael said, eyeing Alex appreciatively. 

“Mikey, can we get ice cream now or are you gonna kiss Mr. Manes cause you look like daddy does right before he kisses mama and I don't wanna see that,” Rosa said with a groan and both men startled, eyes wide and suddenly embarrassed at having been called out by a six year old.

“Ice cream, yes! We can get ice cream now!” Michael laughed and Alex grinned. “Called out by a six year old, you'd think I'd be used to this by now.” He laughed.

“I don't think you ever quite get used to it,” Alex smiled as he followed them to Michael's truck. “At least I haven't yet.”

“Next date, we'll leave the kid with her parents,” Michael said as he got her situated in her seat before he whipped around quickly realizing when he'd just said. “Uh, I mean-”

“Next date, no kids.” Alex agreed, happy to see the tension in Michael's shoulders deflate.

“Yeah?” Michael asked, smirk firmly back in place, black cowboy hat tipped just right and yeah, Alex Manes loved his job, he really, really did.

“Definitely.” Alex grinned as he settled in for his ice cream date with Rosa's uncle Michael. This was not how he'd expected his day to end but looking across the seat at the man in question, Alex was quite happy that Max Evans had been late picking up his daughter.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully this makes up for sad Alex in day 1. :)


End file.
